the way of some men, and not of others. If there
were a general election going on to-morrow, I should not know how to
look for a seat."

"They are to be found sometimes even without a general election,"
said the Duchess.

"Are you alluding to anything now?"

"Well;--yes, I am. But I'm very discreet, and do not like to do more
than allude. I fancy that Mr. Grey, the member for Silverbridge,
is going to Persia. Mr. Grey is a Member of Parliament. Members of
Parliament ought to be in London and not in Persia. It is generally
supposed that no man in England is more prone to do what he ought to
do than Mr. Grey. Therefore, Mr. Grey will cease to be Member for
Silverbridge. That's logic; isn't it?"

"Has your Grace any logic equally strong to prove that I can follow
him in the borough?"

"No;--or if I have, the logic that I should use in that matter must
for the present be kept to myself." She certainly had a little
syllogism in her head as to the Duke ruling the borough, the Duke's
wife ruling the Duke, and therefore the Duke's wife ruling the
borough; but she did not think it prudent to utter this on the
present occasion. "I think it much better that men in Parliament
should be unmarried," said the Duchess.

"But I am going to be married," said he.

"Going to be married, are you?"

"I have no right to say so, because the lady's father has rejected
me." Then he told her the whole story, and so told it as to secure
her entire sympathy. In telling it he never said that he was a rich
man, he never boasted that that search after wealth of which he had
spoken, had been successful; but he gave her to understand that there
was no objection to him at all on the score of money. "You may have
heard of the family," he said.

"I have heard of the Whartons of course, and know that there is a
baronet,--but I know nothing more of them. He is not a man of large
property, I think."

"My Miss Wharton,--the one I would fain call mine,--is the daughter
of a London barrister. He, I believe, is rich."

"Then she will be an heiress."

"I suppose so;--but that consideration has had no weight with me. I
have always regarded myself as the architect of my own fortune, and
have no wish to owe my material comfort to a wife."

"Sheer love!" suggested the Duchess.

"Yes, I think so. It's very ridiculous; is it not?"

"And why does the rich barrister object?"

"The rich barrister, Duchess, is an out and out old Tory, who thinks
that